I think it was the summer
of 2007 when my wife and I drove down to Alexandria, Louisiana and joined
several of the cousins at the home of Steve Carter (21B2723). Steve and I had met at the 1987 Smilie family
reunion in Peoria. It was at Steve’s
home that I met Jim Smilie (186431) with whom I had been communicating for a
number of years.
This year, Jim’s son
Michael (1864312) earned his Eagle Scout rank.
Cousin Dal Smilie (186411), also an Eagle Scout, traveled to Alexandria,
Louisiana, from Montana for Michael’s presentation.
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Three Eagle Scouts, March 14, 2015
Michael, Jim and Dal Smilie
Jim Smilie Family Photo, used with permission
|
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Michael Smilie’s last game, Holy Savior Menard baseball team,
with proud parents Becky and Jim Smilie
Jim Smilie Family Photo, used with permission
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Jim Smilie wrote a personal article about the memories and meaning of the Fourth of July.
It was that same summer
that we drove to Lincoln, Nebraska, and met Keith Jacobshagen (1712111), and his wife,
Paula Day. Keith was still teaching at
the University of Nebraska at that time.
When I contacted him prior to our trip Keith did not know anything about
his large family of Smilie relations; he only knew one second cousin. Last year Keith had the honor of having one
of his paintings acquired by the Smithsonian.
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Paula & Keith
photo by Larry Ferguson,
Larry Ferguson Studio,
Omaha, NE, Dec 2005,
used with permission
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Keith Jacobshagen’s 2014
Smithsonian painting honor.
Huffington Post did a nice
article about Keith’s 2011 expo.
Keith Jacobshagen Interview
Paula did a short video of
Keith painting in the Studio
